Posts Tagged ‘prospecting’

Sales is a numbers game. That boring cliché is true. But you know what happens when you get too focused on the numbers, and not focused enough on what the hell you’re doing. Things get un-boring, quick.

Take Robroy. In my first year of sales, I was all fired up in my suit and tie at the early morning reception for Baltimore business leaders. My goal was to shake at least ten hands and get at least ten business cards. Unfortunately, with time running short, I reached out a little too fast for one guy. He had a coffee in one hand and a pastry in the other as he turned and walked right into: “Hi! I’m Rob Macdonald!”

He doubled over with a “woof!”

I was mortified – horrified! – for him and for myself. I felt like I was the one who’d been punched in the gut. I rushed to say how sorry I was and see if he was OK. Was there anything I could do? He just waved me off. Knowing that he would never forget me, and not wanting to add more memories, I sorta allowed myself to be swept away by the crowd.

Ever since that morning, Robroy has worked hard to stay calm and be present to the other person and not worry so much about the numbers. But one thing will never change. Danger is my calling card.

Voice mail is a wonderful convenience. Unless you are in sales. In that case, there is no voice mail. There is only voice jail. A place where no one ever returns your call. A place where you wait and you wait and you wait, while the game goes on without you. Until you pick up one of these:

To get out of voice jail and back in the game, flip over the card and read the five quick tips Robroy has printed on the back for you:

1. Expect to leave a message.

2. Know that your sole mission is to get a call back.

3. Plan what you will say.

4. Keep it short.

5. Practice on your own voice mail.

Think these rules don’t apply to you? Think you can just keep winging it and get all your calls returned? Then you might as well go back to jail. Go directly to jail. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.